We have emails, video conferences, secure portals etc etc.We do have a physical office, and half of our clients are local.

Watch as many Brandon Turner and David Greene videos as you can on BRRRR. 

Choose my own real estate agent

This takes a little more work, but it's the fairest and reduces the likelihood of tenants that squander utilities.If you choose #2 or #3, there are considerations:Start with an average.

Hey @Chi Lo - I actually have a video on my YouTube page about this (lookup ClosedByMo on YouTube).Regarding walls being damp and waterproofed, it means there needs to be waterproofing on the basement retainer walls (this is something you can do post-construction and the contractors would need to dig around the house exposing the basement/foundation to apply the waterproofing). 

Mine was also out of state, in a town I’d never visited, and I relied heavily on videos from my agent.This sounds like a tough first deal, but it seems like you have some capital on the side, which will be useful as you face the upcoming challenges and learn from those expensive early mistakes.Regarding the subject of this post, “help me adjust my expectations,” I’d recommend assuming that; repairs will cost twice as much as you estimate, maintenance and vacancy rates will likely double from your initial projections, there’s a very real chance you may lose money on this deal.That said, there are ways to mitigate these risks by:- Keep asking questions here on BP and connecting with local experts- Stay proactive and communicative with your agent and property manager.And remember “Inspect what you expect.”Im not trying to discourage you but to help reset your expectations.

But then you have the benefits of using it yourself, plus you'll build equity if you choose the right property.

Vanessa, If you choose the seller financed route, you could potentially continue investing under the bank's stringent debt-to-income radar, so to speak.

I would advise finding an investor friendly realtor when you choose a market.

Quote from @Alexandra Helms: @Dziko ThundeHere is a video published by a local agent (though I believe he actually moved out of the area) a couple of years ago that you might find helpful - "https://youtu.be/LPNIl_vLkWc?